Display device



E. WATHEN 2,902,176

DISPLAY DEVICE Sept. 1, 1959 Filed se t'. 26, 1958 Mater-Ta,

INVENTOR, [W765i Les/[e Walt/rel? ATTORNEY DISPLAY DEVICE Ernest Leslie Wathen, Rocky River, Ohio Application September 26, 1958, Serial No. 763,681

Claims. (Cl. 211-178) This invention is an ornamental display device especially suitable for advertising purposes, and one object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind that may optionally be used as a mobile when hung by a string or similar means from a suitable support, or as an immobile exhibit when stoodon a table, showcase, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display device comprising a collapsible base and a mounting that is adapted to be removably connected to the base when the latter is expanded and which cooperates with the base in such manner as to maintain the base expanded and the mounting in upright position and against ready disconnection from the base.

The device is preferably fabricated of relatively stiff sheet material, such as cardboard of suitable quality and thickness; and another object is to provide a construction that is especially well adapted to the use of such material in that certain functions of the construction are dependent upon characteristics of the material.

Other and more general objects are to provide a display device that is of simple construction; that is inexpensive; that is composed of few parts; that is collapsible and therefore capable of being folded and arranged in flat, compact condition to facilitate packaging, storing, mailing or shipping, and that may be easily and quickly set up for display purposes.

A practical embodiment of the invention wherein the foregoing objects are attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while I shall proceed to describe the same in detail, this embodiment is to be taken as illustrative rather than as limiting, as the invention is susceptible to various changes and modifications, and this is especially true with respect to the mounting that is superimposed upon the base and the size and shape of which are dependent largely upon the character of the subject matter to be borne thereby.

' In the drawing, wherein like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the display device of my invention;

condition and as it-would appear from the left of Fig. 3.

United States Patent 0 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 ICC The base, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 1, is made up of the respective wall sections.2, 3 and 4. The wall sections, in the present instance, are desirably constructed of relatively stilf cardboard of a suitable thickness, and each of the sections is divided by a hinge line a into a body portion b and a tab 0.. The hinge line is produced by scoring or creasing the cardboard on one side, in accordance with common practice. The wall section 4 is provided midway between its ends with a hinge line d that is at right angles to the top edge of the wall section. The hinge line a of each wall section is desirably at an obtuse angle to the top of the body portion for a purpose that will presently appear. The tab 0 of the wall section 2 is arranged in face to face relation with, and is secured, as by a suitable adhesive, to the end of the wall section 3 remote from the tab c of the latter Wall section; and said tab 0 of the wall section 3 is similarly attached to the end of the wall section 4 remote from the tab 0 thereof. Likewise, the tab 0 of wall section 4 is secured in the manner aforesaid to the end of the wall section 2 remote from the tab c of the latter. The layers of adhesive by which the wall sections are secured together as above described are designated 6, and represented by comparatively heavy lines.

The base 1 is shown in expanded condition in all views excepting Figs. 4 and 5. It is adapted to be collapsed to the condition illustrated in Fig. 4 by folding the wall section 4 in book fashion on the hinge line d. Reversely,

to expand the base, the body portion b of the wall section 4 is straightened out, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3. Because the hinge lines a of all Wall sections are inclined upwardly and inwardly-or, in other words, are in obtuse angular relation to the top edges of the wall sectionssaid wall sections assume an upwardly convergent relationship when the base is expanded. For a purpose presently to appear, the wall section 4 has a notch 8 that opens through its top edge, the same being shown as located on the hinge line d. Said wall section is desirably provided, also, with an aperture 9 in vertical alignment with the notch 8.

10 denotes a mounting or display panel, preferably made of cardboard, that is adapted to be superimposed .upon the base when the latter is in expanded condition,

the mounting having at its lower end parts that interengage with parts of the base for holding the base expanded and for detachably connecting the mounting to the base. Where the wall sections of the base are upwardly convergent, as in the present disclosure, the mounting is shaped at its lower end to provide a laterally flaring lug 11 that fits rather snugly within the angle between the wall sections 2 and 3 adjacent the hinge line a of the latter section, the mounting being sustained in the region of said lug by an adjacent horizontal edge portion 12 that bears upon the top edge of the wall sec tion 2. Opposite the lug 11, the mounting is provided with a downward extension 14 that is designed to bear .against the outer surface of the wall section 4 and preferably has a tongue 15 for engagement within the aperture .of the mounting between the notch 16 and the previously mentioned lug 11 prevents the wall 4 from folding iii- .wardly on the hinge line d and consequently maintains the base in expanded condition. The manner of interengagement between the mounting and base insures the mounting being held firmly in upright position, and so connects the mounting to the base that there is no likelihood of the mounting and base separating when the. entire assembly is lifted or sustained by means of the mounting.

Provision is desirably made for attaching a string 18 or the like to the upper end of the mounting 10. For example, a downwardly and laterally extending kerf 19 opens through the top edge of the mounting. The string 18 is forced to the bottom of the kerf and then pulled until a knot in one end of the string is drawn against one side of the mounting. The notch is located substantially on the vertical center of the mass of the assembled display so that the display will hang in a vertical position when the string is attached to a suitable support. By reason of the formation of the base, it serves as a wind wheel to slowly rotate the display when subject to air disturbances or drafts. Thus, the device may be used as a mobile.

Obviously the device is especially suitable for use as an immobile display, as when stood upon a table, showcase, or similar support. When used in either of these ways it is advantageous to apply advertising matter or other display material on both sides of the mounting or panel 10, as well as upon the exposed surfaces of the wall sections of the base.

By disengaging the tongue from the aperture 9 and slightly tilting and at the same time lifting the mounting from the base in a somewhat lateral direction, the lug 11 may readily be withdrawn from the angle between the walls 2 and 3. With the mounting removed therefrom, the base may be collapsed in the manner previously described, and both the mounting and base may be arranged in compact condition for individual packaging, or for bulk packing, storage and shipment.

It is obvious that the mounting 10, excepting for the parts thereof designed for interengagcment with the base, may vary considerably in size and shape, and that the wall sections of the base may differ from the present disclosure. Incidentally, the scroll shaped notches and inclined ends of the wall sections of the present design are purely ornamental features.

Furthermore, the base, made of material of appropriate stiffness and of suitable size, may be used to support, in lieu of the mounting herein disclosed, an article of merchandise, such as an electric iron or other appliance, for display purposes, with advertising matter relative thereto printed on the wall sections; or the base, in some instances, may be used alone for ad"ertising display, the wall sections affording areas on which matter may be printed and which may be observed from different angles about the base.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a display device, a base comprising three relatively fiat cardboard wall sections of substantially the same size and shape, each wall section being characterized by a similarly located hinge line that extends between the top and bottom edges thereof and sets off a tab from the body portion of said wall section, the tab of each wall section being secured flatwise against and in regiser with the end of the body portion of another wall section remote from the tab of the latter section, one wall section having a transverse hinge line midway between its ends whereby this last mentioned wall section may be folded book-fashion and thereby dispose the other wall sections in stacked relation to each other, the wall sections being constrained to assume like angular relation to one another when the base is expanded upon the unfolding of said last mentioned wall section, and a cardboard mounting in the form of a relatively flat panel including adjacent its lower end a lug for engagement within the angle between two of the wall sections, and provided with a notch in its lower edge for engagement with the upper edge portion of said last mentioned wall section in the region of said transverse hinge line, thereby to hold the base in expanded condition.

2. In a display device, a base comprising three approximately rectangular and relatively flat cardboard wall sections of matching size, each being characterized by a hinge line extending between the top and bottom edges thereof that sets off a tab from the body portion of the wall section, said hinge line being at an obtuse angle to the top edge of the body portion, the tab of each wall section being secured flatwise against the end of the body portion of another wall section remote from the tab of the latter section, one wall section having a transverse hinge line midway between its ends whereby it may be folded book fashion and thereby dispose the other wall sections in stacked relation to each other, the wall sections being constrained to assume upward convergence and like angular relation to one another when the base is expanded upon the unfolding of said one wall section, the latter having a notch that opens through its upper edge, and a cardboard mounting in the form of a relatively flat panel including adjacent its lower end a tapered lug for engagement within the angle between two of the wall sections, and provided with a notch in its lower edge for engagement with the portion of said one wall section below the notch thereof thereby to hold said one wall section against folding on said transverse hinge line.

3. In a display device, a base comprising three rela tively fiat cardboard wall sections of substantially the same size and shape, each wall section being characterized by a similarly located hinge line that extends between the top and bottom edges thereof and sets off a tab from the body portion of said wall section, the tab of each wall section being secured flatwise against and in register with the end of the body portion of another wall section remote from the tab of the latter section, one wall section having a transverse hinge line midway between its ends Whereby said one wall section may be folded book-fashion and thereby dispose the other wall sections in stacked relation to each other, the wall sections being constrained to assume like angular relation to one another when the base is expanded upon the unfolding of said one wall section, and a cardboard mounting in the form of a relatively flat panel including adjacent its lower end a lug for engagement within the angle between two of the wall sections and provided with a notch in its lower edge for engagement with the upper edge portion of said one wall section in the region of said transverse hinge line, the panel including, also, an extension that overhangs and bears against the outer side of said one wall section, the latter wall section being provided with an aperture, and said extension having a tongue for engagement within said aperture.

4-. A display device comprising three relatively fiat cardboard wall sections of substantially the same length and with bottom edges that lie in approximately the same plane when the device is in a position of use, each wall section being characterized by a similarly located hinge line that extends between the top and bottom edges thereof and sets off a tab from the body portion of said wall section, the tab of each wall section being secured fiatwise against and in register with the end of the body portion of another wall section remote from the tab of the latter section, one wall section having a transverse hinge line midway between its ends whereby this last mentioned wall section may be folded book-fashion and thereby dispose the other wall sections in stacked relation to each other, the wall sections being constained to assume like angular relation to one another when the base is expanded upon the unfolding of said last mentioned wall section, and means for retaining at will said last mentioned wall section in unfolded condition.

5. A display device comprising three approximately rectangular and relatively flat cardboard wall sections of the same length and having bottom edges that lie in substantially the same plane when the device is in. assembl d Condition and occupies a position of use, each wall section being characterized by a hinge line extending between the top and bottom edges thereof that sets Off a tab from the body portion of the wall section, said hinge line being at an angle other than right angle to the bottom edge of the body portion, the tab of each wall section being secured flatwise against the end of the body portion of another wall section remote from the tab of the latter section, one Wall section having a transverse hinge line midway between its ends whereby it may be folded book-fashion and thereby dispose the other Wall sections 10 in stacked relation to each other, the Wall sections being constrained to assume planes that converge in one direc- 6 tion axially of the device and take on like angular relation to one another when the base is expanded as a result of the unfolding of said one wall section, and means for retaining at will said one wall section in unfolded 5 condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,616,199 Robins Nov. 4, 1952 2,824,394 Lohnes Feb. 25, 1958 2,825,519 Potts Mar. 4, 1958 

